Co. surveyor resigns after closed session

Following a half-hour closed session with surveyor Jake Ripp on May 1, Dawson County commissioners accepted Ripp’s resignation.

Ripp gave no reason for his resignation.

However the surveyor had refused to do private surveys, when he wasn’t busy with county survey work, which bothered commissioners in addition to his use of a county credit card for personal use at meetings he attended.

Because of questionable charges on the card, Ripp was asked to reimburse the county $641. Commissioners also revoked the card during an April meeting.

On another matter during the regular meeting, commissioners awarded a bid for three sports utility vehicles for the police department to Platte Valley Auto of Lexington. The dealership submitted the lowest of three bids at $54,842,

Pony Express Chevrolet of Gothenburg submitted a $61,115 bid while Plum Creek Motors of Lexington presented $60,170 for the vehicles.

The prices include four vehicles traded in to the dealerships.

On another vehicle matter, the commissioners agreed to sell a 2001 bus used as handibus that takes people in the county to places they wish to go.

A new handibus was recently purchased to transport county residents and 2004 and 2009 buses will be used as back ups.

Following an update on construction and drainage on some roads in the county, commissioners passed a drainage/waterway crossing agreement to permit work within the county right of way.

Nebraska Public Power District officials have asked for right-of-way agreement where they are installing a culvert.

In other business, commissioners:

accepted the 2011-12 audit. Before acceptance, commissioners discussed unclaimed property in the county. If property is unclaimed for a certain period of time, counties have to pay something to the state treasurer.

granted Lundgren Farms in Lexington a special license to serve alcohol at a May 25 wedding reception at a private residence south of Lexington.

heard an update from the Two Rivers Public Health Department which serves Dawson and other counties. Officials shared health rankings for Dawson County in several areas that showed the county is higher than the state average in several categories including adult obesity, physical inactivity, motor vehicle crash death rate and teen birth rates.

listened to a report by Region II Services and South Central Developmental Services officials about services provided. South Central serves Dawson, Frontier and Gosper counties while Region II serves 17 counties in southwest Nebraska including Dawson.

Region II was providing services to 195 people with developmental disabilities as of April 1. South Central serves 67 persons with similar issues.

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